Last Call
by Dethwalker
Summary: AU. Tony is trapped by a terrorist and he can see no way out. With time running out and his phone battery nearly dead, who will be his last call? This is a one shot (I guess)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N):** I wrote this about midway through last season. I was sad to see "our" Tony go, but I can understand Michael wanting to try something new. Let me know what you think of my sendoff (Kind of) Enjoy **D.**

" **Last Call"**

 **An NCIS Fan Fiction**

 **By Dethwalker**

Tony woke up feeling like he had come off a weekend bender and during that time someone had used him for batting practice. He struggled to get up but when he moved he felt a hot electric pain jolt through his brain. His eye fluttered open and he tried to remember exactly where he was, His brain began to register clues to his whereabouts, He could smell smoke and brick dust. It was very dark perhaps he was in a cave somewhere. Without having to move he could feel the weight of his gun and its holster, so he was dressed. He tasted the copper tang of blood in his mouth.

"Way to go DiNozzo." He said to himself" You must have gotten into a hell of a fight."

He moved his tongue over his teeth but did not find any missing. He grimaced but did not feel any cuts on his lips. A quick tongue cheek check revealed no splits there either. Keeping the rest of his body as still as possible he moved his hand to his pocket where his phone usually resided, as his hand wrapped around his phone his mind finally got into gear and remembered where he was….

 _ **Fort Jackson, Gray Rock, Virginia. Federal Terrorist Response Training Center (Three Hours Ago)**_

" _So what is it that you do here, Captain?" Gibbs asked._

" _At the moment very little, but when the facility is complete was will house the nation's most advanced Anti—terrorism training facility. We will train first responders, Secret Service and other security forces to assess and respond to possible terrorist activity. We will also house and train an antiterrorist military response team."_

" _Have you seen this man around?" Tony produced a photo of a middle-aged man with black close cut hair._

" _Yeah, that Oscar Kaplin, he is one of the construction foremen helping build the facility." The Captain responded._

" _Well He has killed a Naval Petty officer and we believe that he has put a bomb in one of the occupied buildings here on base. According to out intel we have three hours to clear the buildings and find the bomb"_

 _Two and a half hours later Tony was checking the Fort Administration building after he swore he had heard a cry for help coming from inside…_

That was a good sign. From what he could see above him, it looked like he was now in the basement. Steeling himself he shone the light from his cell phone on his body. His right leg was under a large slab of concrete and by the angle of his foot visible from below the slab, his leg was broken. His left leg seemed to be free and intact, thank heaven for small favors. Tony's heart sank when he saw a foot long length of steel rebar protruding from just under his rib cage and slightly right of center. Tony reflexively took a deep breath and had a coughing fit. His body was wracked with pain. Tony's grim medical assessment was interrupted by his phone ringing. He hit the answer button and put the phone up to his ear.

"DiNozzo" Tony answered as the coughing jag subsided.

"Tony! Where the Hell are you?" Gibbs asked.

"Oh, hey, Boss. Looks like our intel was wrong. We only had two and a half hours." Tony quipped

"DiNozzo where are you? You are the only one unaccounted for."

"Funny story Boss, a terrorist dropped a building on me. I appear to be in the basement of the Administration building."

"Aare you hurt? Can you move?"

"You know boss, I used to collect butterflies as a kid. Now I know what it feels like and I don't recommend it."

"Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"Well I now have a matched set of busted legs, but the worst is I am pretty sure I'm an Italian Tony Kabob I've got a piece pf rebar sticking out of my chest. I've probably got a couple of broken ribs for good measure."

"Tony, I've got to co-ordinate the rescue. You stay with me and we will have you out in no time."

"No worries Boss I'm not going anywhere."

Tony ended the call and shut off the flashlight light app, which was a huge energy drain. He looked at the power meter appalled he had less than one-quarter of his battery life left. He had forgotten to charge the phone last night. He had been so tired of chasing after Kaplin that he didn't even undress. He had kicked off his shoes and flopped onto the bed and had slept the sleep of the dead until his alarm had woken him up, Tony closed his eyes and tried to conserve his own energy. He felt eerily calm, just like when he and had gone after Saleem to avenge Ziva. Maybe it was a natural reaction to life and death situations. Tim, he needed to call Tim. He needed to make things right. He opened his eyes and opened his contacts list and punched up McGee's number.

"DiNozzo?!"

"Hey Tim, what's up?"

"Tony. Bishop and I are heading your way…"

"That's nice. Look, Tim, I am… Well, let's just say that today I'm a Red shirt on Captain Kirks away team. Things are looking a little grim for Security Officer number two…."

"Tony… No, you have been in worse scrapes than this…"

"Look, Tim, it's okay. I've had a good run…" Tony was interrupted by another coughing fit. He tasted copper again and spit some bloody phlegm." Tim if I go to the big cinema in the sky there is something I need you do In my bedroom closet there are three boxes The first I want you to keep. They hold some of my most prized possessions. That one holds my mint collection of comic books. I have "A death in the Family" where Jason Todd dies and "A Killing Joke". I have a platinum edition of the "Death for Supermen" They're all classics. The second has thirty years' worth of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editions. The third box is my porn stash and you need to get rid of it, Keep it, dump it, I don't care. The fourth box is for Ziva so you have to promise that you will find and give it to her. Promise me."

"Tony it's a moot point you are going to get out alive…"

"Tim, you are the closest thing I ever had to a brother, if I check out you gotta get that stuff to Ziva."

"Tony…."

"Promise me…" tony had a wracking cough and swore he felt something tear in his chest.

"Okay, ok, I promise."

"You've been a good friend Tim. Look I gotta go my battery power is low." And Tony hung up.

Tony closed his eyes again and tried to willed himself not to cough. He settled for short shallow breaths. He would miss Tim and Bishop. He thought about calling Abby to say goodbye to her but knew that it would just tear her up. He drifted for a while. He could hear the muffled sound of shouts and machinery, working to free him.

" _Hey, Tony…." A Soft familiar feminine voice broke his reverie._

 _Tony opened one eye and saw Kate sitting prettily on a chunk of concrete. "Am I dead?" Tony asked with regret._

" _Not yet." She replied with a smile._

" _Thai's good because being stuck to a piece of concrete for eternity would suck."_

" _So you are saying your goodbyes?"_

" _I figured that I should cover my bases, but I've already said goodbye to you, Kate."_

" _I know. I've missed you and Tim and Gibbs."_

" _Jimmy's a dad now."_

" _Who?"_

" _Jimmy Palmer. He is Ducky's assistant now. I guess you never met him."_

" _No, I didn't… And Abby?"_

" _Well Abby is still Abby, she just has a few more tats/"_

" _What about 'HER'?"_

" _Who?" Tony was confused._

" _My replacement…"_

" _Oh. Ziva? I don't know she left awhile back."_

" _You loved her. Didn't you?"_

" _Truthfully I still do."_

" _Does she know that?"_

" _Yes, she does. You would have been proud of me Kate. I actually told her how I felt."_

" _Does she still know?" Kate pressed….._

Tony woke up choking on phlegm. He coughed, turned his head and spat blood and mucus. 'never a good sign' tony thought. He looked at his phone with unfocused eyes and open his contacts again and scrolled down to the very bottom and pressed send. He waited through the rings and until the voice mail started. He hoped that she still kept this number.

"Hey Ziva, it's Tony." He mentally head slapped himself, like she wouldn't know." Look I know that it has been a long time, but… Well. I guess you can say I'm kinda being introspective. I just wanted you to know that I still think of you all the time. I guess I always hoped that one stormy night you would come knocking on my door, like Lauren Bacall in the Big Sleep. Maybe looking for your own Phillip Marlow. I always left my heart's door open for you. My Dad always said that you only get one great love in your life and when you find her you have to hold on tight and never let go. I am sorry that I couldn't hold on tight enough to keep ahold of you. I want you to know that I never let go…." Tony coughed and cleared his throat.

"Look, Ziva I still love you and wish I could see you one last time, so I could try to explain how much I care for you…. Ziva, if you get this, I want you to get in touch with Tim unless I'm still around then you can see me. I've got some stuff of yours, memories really. There's a night shirt that you left at my house from the summer that Gibbs spent in Mexico. The night after we found out the Damocles went down, Jack Daniels and I held a wake over it and I cried my eyes out. There are other things in the box as well, mostly gifts I bought you that I never had the courage to give you. I want you to know…." Tony had another coughing spasm." I want you to know that I have loved you since I laid eyes on you and I always will. I guess that quote from Blade Runner was correct. 'The light that burns twice as bright only burns half as long. I am not trying to guilt trip you here. I just want you to know that you are in my heart. I love you Z….." the phone fell from numb fingers and darkness swallowed him whole.

 **Sometime later….**

Tony woke up feeling like he had come off a weekend bender and during that time someone had used him for batting practice. All around were bright walls. His eyes ached at the brightness. 'Am I dead he thought, Is this heaven? His ears seemed to wake up and he heard the sounds of hospital equipment.

"Oh no. I'm in Hell" he moaned

"Well, good morning Mr. Dinozzo." An annoyingly chipper voice interrupted.

Tony observed the white-clad middle-aged nurse adjusting his IV. He noticed the ring on her left hand and stopped himself from looking any further.

"I take it I am going to live."

"It certainly seems that way now. For the first few days, it was touch and go. They had to revive you three times in the OR."

"How bad was I?"

"You were pretty banged up. Your right Tibia and Fibula were broken a compound fracture. You had five broken ribs one of you lungs collapsed. Your right knee was smashed but now that you are awake they will schedule knee replacement surgery. The rebar missed most of your important organs…"

"Most?!" Tony asked alarmed.

"They removed about three feet of your GI tract and had to repair your stomach. You responded well to the antibiotics so infection was kept to a minimum. Both of your Kidneys were bruised but they cleared up after a week or so."

"Week? How long have I been here?"

"You had been here three weeks yesterday."

Tony was stunned.

"I must say you have had quite the parade of visitors… The Director of NCYS ,all your team members, the SecNav and police from Baltimore." The nurse prattled while she adjusted the bed's incline so he was half sitting up. She also began to check his vitals and adjust his IV.

"How much longer will I be in here?"

"With you injuries, and the additional surgery plus physical therapy, probably another month."

"A month! I can't be here that long!"

"If you keep shouting I'll increase you pain meds until you go back to sleep, besides that cute young woman that has been by your side almost the entire time, will make that time move faster."

"Woman?" Tony asked.

"Yes, beautiful, petite, dark hair, wonderful complexion. She'll be back soon I'm sure.

Tony was at a loss and unconsciously balled his fingers into fists. He felt a pinch in his left hand and opened it to examine the cause. Cradled in his palm was a very familiar necklace. The six-pointed symbol made him smile and tears pooled in his eyes, He had been staring at that necklace for many years. He picked up the necklace and brought it to his lips and kissed the Star of David.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N):** Thanks for the encouragement. I'll continue and see how it goes. Wish me luck **D.**

 **Last Call**

 **Chapter II**

 **Bethesda Naval Hospital**

"He was awake just a few minutes ago." The Nurse exclaimed.

Ziva had just returned from grabbing a quick bite and a call to Tim at NCIS. Kaplin was still in the wind. Upon returning to Tony's room she had received welcome news. Tony has at last woken out of his coma, he had either relapsed or the pain meds he was on had put him under again.

"Don't worry that pretty head of yours." The nurse said pleadingly. "He'll be in and out for the next few days, but before you know it he'll be awake and making a nuisance of himself."

"I can only hope,"Ziva whispered

When Tony's call had come in she had let it go to voice mail. Even after all this time, it was still too painful, it had taken all her willpower not to come back with Tony. She knew that if he asked again she would not have been able to resist. Her curiosity had quickly gotten the best of her and she had listened to his message, it was her worst nightmare come true. Tony has always survived on his luck and his stubborn Italian blood. It seemed that both had run out. Hands trembling she dialed McGee, he couldn't talk long but was able to give her the big picture. Tony was trapped underneath a collapsed building and they were working to get him out. Hesitantly she called Leon Vance to see if he could facilitate passage back to the states. They shared a bond so he was happy to arrange to get her onto a military flight. She arrived on the second day after the bombing. Tim was sitting in the room keeping watch. Over the next four hours, Tim described the case and its devastating conclusion.

"It was really bad. When I saw him after they pulled him from the wreckage I couldn't see how he was still alive. They had to cut the concrete that the rebar was in and transport him still pinned to the slab. The doctors thought they lost him a couple of times during surgery. How did you find out? "Tim asked.

"He called me," she said through tears.

"Oh, man, that's brutal. I am sorry Ziva."

"No, Tim, do not be, there were things I needed to hear."

So she sat by his side and waited, thinking about all the times that he had been there for her. All those times and he had never asked for anything. He would just shrug and say 'Partners do for each other'. They had been more than partners, they had been Lovers. Her regret of all the lost time choked her and made it hard to breathe.

She picked up her tablet and checked her email. She had discretely asked a few 'friends' to check Oscar Kaplin out. She wanted to know if he was on any watch lists. Had he been radicalized? The responses were distinctly unhelpful. There were even a few carefully worded offers of work. She frowned. She was out of the game. She had put her past behind her and even burned a few bridges. The day wore on and still tony slept.

That night a storm came up the coast, a tropical depression had made its way inland. She went to the window to watch the wind sway the trees and the lightning play across the sky. He adopted Homeland seemed to be welcoming her back in spectacular fashion. She stared marveling at nature's beauty and power. Her musings were interrupted by a Doctor entering the room.

"Good evening Ziva, I hear our wayward son woke up today." Doctor Snyder prompted.

"Yes, Doctor, but he did not stay awake for long," Ziva replied worriedly.

"Not to worry Ziva, our Tony is a fighter."

"Tell me, Doctor, when can i… we expect a full recovery?" Ziva asked anxiously.

"That's hard to say, six months, a year, maybe never."

"Never?!"

"Ziva, his right leg was held on by the skin and a few tendons when he got here. Now it's held together by screws and bandages. He made never get full uses of it back. But if he is as much a fighter as I've been told then I have high hopes for a full recovery."

Ziva sat down on the chair beside the bed deflated. Tony was a fighter but he had already seen his fair share difficulties. Images came unbidden to her mind, images of Saleem and Tony. Even with the drugs that were in his system he had the presence of mind to push the terrorist's buttons and keep him off balance. In the interrogation room back in Israel, he had matched wits with her Father. He had been struck with the plague. Did he still have the strength to fight? She wanted to weep for him but she knew he was too proud to accept her tears so she began to pray instead.

When she had finished she leaned down to kiss his cheek. "Come back to me, My Love, I need you" she whispered.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to intrude." Bishop blurted out.

Zive looked over at Bishop and smiled sadly. "Is it your turn to keep watch?"

"No, I just came to see how he was doing. The nurses at the station said he woke up."

"They say he did while was getting something to eat and talking to McGee."

"Oh, I sorry you missed it." Bishop consoled.

"The Doctors say he will be waking up more often now"

"That's good news. We are hoping that he will remember what happened. He wasn't supposed to be in that building. It had already been cleared." Bishop confessed.

"I am sure he had a good reason, Tony was not one to take unnecessary chances."

"Oh, I don't mean to imply that he did. Gibbs just wants to know. You know Gibbs."

"That I do." Ziva agreed.

"Gibbs and Tim are rather tight-lipped about how you joined NCIS, is it a big secret?"

Ziva smiled sadly," Not really, I was Israeli Intelligence sent to 'deal' with a Terrorist. I was friends with the Director at the time and stayed as a liaison between our two agencies. Eventually, I decided to make the United States my home and became a full NCIS agent. "

"There more to it isn't there." Bishop guessed.

"Yes but that is for another time."

The two women talked of general matters for about an hour before Bishop received a call from her husband and left. Ziva resumed her vigil. Later when she fell asleep she dreamed of stormy seas and Blowing desert sands. About 3AM she awoke to silence. Wiping the sleep from her eyes she looked around.

"You still snore like a sailor….." Tony whispered.

 **A/n):** I won't be able to post every day but here is chapter 2 Enjoy **D.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N):** Still plugging away and still not sure where this is heading. I guess we will find out together. Enjoy **D.**

" **Last Call"**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Bethesda**

Ziva laughed in relief. "Good Morning to you too, my little Hairy Butt."

Tony smiled at the nickname. "Pulling out the deep cuts, are you Sweet Cheeks?"

"Deep Cuts?" Ziva was confused.

"Old history, A term from back in the hay day of Vinyl, it means something like a track from an album that never got played on the radio, but true aficionados would know." Tony translated, coughing roughly Tony asked for some water.

"Only if you promise to stay awake while I go get some,"

"Deal" was Tony's scratchy reply.

Ziva went to the nurse's station for ice for the pitcher and to let the nurses know that Tony was awake again. She rushed back and was relieved that Tony's eyes were still open. She poured a small cup and put a bendy straw in it so he could drink with moving too much.

"I hope you have not been staying at the hospital all this time."

Ziva smiled, "I have been at Gibbs' house. When he came to sit with you I would go there for a shower and a quick nap, before coming back here."

"I am grateful that you came to see me, but surprised too."

"Your message was a surprise…."

"I'm sorry Z. I shouldn't have sent it."

"Do you regret what you said?" Ziva asked apprehensively.

Tony thought for a minute. "No, I meant every word I said."

Ziva had not realized that she had been holding her breath. Her whole reason for returning had been to see if there was any chance that they could perhaps rekindle what had been lost. What she had foolishly thrown away. She had been so intent on starting a new life away for her past that she had left behind the one thing she cherished because she was afraid of being sucked back into the game.

"I heard that you were dating someone and that it was serious."

"Zoey? No, it wasn't serious… I mean I tried to move on, but I had already given my heart to you. I guess I am like a wolf that mates for life. I just could do it. I felt like I was cheating on you."

"Tony, I had treated you poorly…."

"I understood you needed to get a clean break for all the death and violence….."

"But I left behind the best part of me."

Tony's reply was cut off as a nurse came in and started to check his vitals. When he tried to speak the nurse put a thermometer in his mouth. Tony impatiently waited for the nurse to finish. At last, she pulled the thermometer out and began to pepper him with questions."

"Do you know where you are?"

"I would assume that this is Bethesda Naval Hospital, but since I was unconscious when I was brought in, I can only speculate."

"What Day is it?"

"Again… coma… kinda lost track of time."

"President of the United States?"

"Obama unless of course, the election happened while I was _**IN A COMA**_ "

"A bit snippy today aren't we?"

"Happy I'm not dead, but pretty grouchy. I hate hospitals. Now please, I was trying to have a meaningful conversation with my Angel here…."

Ziva had to smile, with the passage of time, she had been afraid that Tony might have changed, but he had not. He still had his sometimes inappropriate sense of humor. "She is only trying to do her job, Tony." Ziva placated.

'There should be a law, only hot sexy nurses with a refined sense of humor."

"If she did have a refined sense of humor, she still would not laugh at your jokes." Ziva fell back into their banter easily. "So Bishop was my replacement?" she said, changing the subject.

"Yeah, she is former NSA, but she turned out ok, still a bit green, though. You really spoiled us, 'cause you hit the ground running…. Hey, you changed the subject." Tony accused.

"Yes, I did." Ziva agreed.

"Don't you want to continue our heart to heart?"

"Yes I do, Tony, but a little later when you are stronger."

They talked about non-consequential things, mostly catching up on people that they knew. They steered clear of cases and her work. Tony had been awake all of about forty-five minutes before he began to drift again. Realizing this he grabbed her hand.

"Don't go." He begged

"I am going to stay right here, Tony" she affirmed

He raised his hand with all of the fingers but his little finger folded in "Pinky swear?" He said loopy from the pain meds.

She smiled sadly. The forlorn look in his eyes touched her heart." Pinky swear." She agreed and wrapped her little finger around his.

She felt guilty. She had come all this way to profess that she loved him and wanted to start over. She just couldn't find the right words. Maybe she was afraid that when she laid bare her heart that he would shy away as he had in the past. Perhaps she had hurt him too much to be forgiven. Her instincts were clamoring for her to run, but if she ran now she would never be able to stop. 'Maybe he saw my fear and that is why he begged me not to go', she thought

Unable to sleep she grabbed her tablet and pulled up "The Big Sleep" with Humphrey Bogart. While she had been in Israel she had missed Tony horribly, but she found that if she watched movies that she had heard Tony mention she would feel closer to him. To her surprise, she actually enjoyed them much more than she thought she would. She came to the conclusion that Tony and Bogart had a lot in common. They both had a sly wit, well when Tony wasn't being childish. They both had a cynical streak to hide how they truly cared, and they were both romantics. Her new favorite movie had become Casablanca. The first time she watched she had cried. She had laughed at herself and wondered what Tony would think. Putting her ear buds in she began to watch the movie that Tony had referenced in his message. She fell asleep halfway through the movie and dreamed that she was Lauren Bacall searching for Phillip Marlow.

 **A/n):** Thanks to all the readers, especially those who are following this tale and those who have taken time to write a review. **D.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N):** Enjoy **D.**

 **Last Call**

 **Chapter 4**

 **The Next Day**

"Ziver." Gibbs gently jostled her shoulder.

Ziva woke to notice that early morning sunlight was streaming through the window. A brief glance at the bed showed that Tony was still asleep. She stood and stretched, trying to work the kinks out. The hospital chairs were never meant to be slept in. "Gibbs"

"Go on home, get some rest, I'll watch over DiNozzo."

"I can't Gibbs."

"Why not?" Gibbs grunted

"I made a promise to Tony that I would not leave."

"So he has woken up."

"Yes twice yesterday, the doctors say he will wake up more often. He is still severely medicated, though. He made me Pinky Swear"

"Pinky Swear," Gibbs shrugged ruefully, "Well I guess you're stuck."

"I…. I have hurt him Gibbs; I do not want to add to that hurt," Ziva replied softly.

"I'll be here Ziva. I'll make sure he knows that you are coming back."' Gibbs gruffed.

Ziva was torn. It had been a couple of days since her last shower and she felt grimy and her hair felt greasy. She really needed a shower and something other vending machine food." All right, I will be back shortly."

"Don't rush on my account"

Gibbs sat down and observed his senior field agent. Over the last couple of years, Tony had lost some of his athletic trim, he hadn't let himself go but age and his work schedule along with the fact that he still ate like a teenager had beefed him up a little. Three weeks on only the nutrition given through his IV had melted that away. He had talked to the doctors about Tony's chances of recovery. Their main concern was his right leg. At first, they were worried that he might lose the leg, fearing that the damage was too severe. They had been able to save it, but Tony was now looking at multiple surgeries to repair the rest of the damage. Tony was in for moths of very painful physical therapy. Gibbs hoped that DiNozzo would be strong enough to push through.

 **Tony**

Tony's eyes fluttered open. He had been having the most wonderful dream that Ziva had come back to him. His Ninja was back. He looked over hoping against hope that she would be sitting beside the bed. His heart sank. Gibbs was sitting beside him.

"Morning Boss."

"Dinozzo."

"Uh… If I said anything strange to you last night, just chalk it up to the pain meds." Tony said uneasily.

"Wouldn't know what you said last night DiNozzo, wasn't here"

"Oh, good… I guess."

"Ziva was, though," Gibbs added.

"Oh, good, Then I wasn't hallucinating."

"What can you remember about the day of the bombing?"

"Most of it I guess, up until the blast and then there is a blank spot until I woke up in the basement, doing my best imitation of a pin cushion."

"Why were you in the Admin Building? We had already cleared it."

"Well, Boss, the way I remember it I was heading to the parking lot where we were supposed to meet. Boss, I swear to you I heard someone call for help from inside the building."

"Male? Female?"

"I don't remember, Boss, I just remember that someone was calling for help."

"Keep at it; you may remember something else later."

"Sure Boss."

They talked about the case for a while. Gibbs filled in details that had been found after the bombing and Tony's subsequent rescue. Tony dozed off and on until early evening when Ziva returned. Gibbs made his goodbyes and left.

"I am sorry I took so long,"Ziva apologized. "I just intended to take a shower and come right back, but I fell asleep. I am sorry."

"It's all right, Z. Gibbs was here when I woke up. To tell you the truth I thought that I had dreamed it all."

"No, Tony, you did not…." Ziva paused," I… I feel like I must apologize …."

"Hey, Ziva it's all good." Tony tried to ease Ziva's discomfort "Like I said Gibbs was here…"

"No Tony, not about today, although I did promise not to leave you, I wish to apologize for not coming back with you from Israel. I should have come back with you. The loss of Eli affected more than I anticipated. With what had happened at NCIS and the attack at Director Vance's house, I needed a chance to come to terms with all that had happened. I felt if I had returned to D.C. that the change I was seeking would not occur, but I was wrong. It is for that reason that I want to apologize. I should have known that I could lean on you and still change my life."

"Like I said last night, I don't blame you….."

"I blame myself, Tony."

"So did you do it, did you change?" Tony asked

"Yes, I did. I left law enforcement and the spy game behind. I have been working in a Library in Tel Aviv."

Tony's baritone chuckle filled the room. "This has to be a dream… My Ninja… a librarian!"

Ziva fell back into old patterns. She put on her most provocative look and smiled a slow sensuous smile. "That right Tony, your Ninja, I dress in very tight dresses and I _punish_ all those bad boys with overdue books." She put extra emphasis on the word punish.

"Not fair Ziva… No getting all fantasy girl on me when I can't do anything about it."

"Then you should not tease me about my chosen profession." Ziva countered.

"Do you enjoy working there?"

"Yes, Tony I do. You know how much I love books and reading. They even had quite the collection of old movies on VHS."

"Well that would appeal to me, Sweet Cheeks"

"That is where you are wrong, Tony. I found some of them quite entertaining."

"Really, Tony was incredulous, "Which ones?"

"I particularly enjoyed Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, The General and The Gold Rush in particular."

"Now I know that I am hallucinating."

"They reminded me of you. I think you share their sense of humor. I laughed so hard I cried when Charlie Chaplin did the dance with the forks and the potatoes. In the General when he tells the girl to put wood in the furnace and she puts the little stick in, that reminded me of our relationship. It made me appreciate how frustrated you must have been when I first became an investigator."

"Wow, Ziva I'm impressed. You know that the studio made Chaplin change the ending to The Gold Rush. In the original ending, the Tramp didn't get the girl…."

"Yes and he put in the words 'You ruined it' as a protest" Ziva finished

"Wow, My Ninja is Sexy and Smart…"

"So how is my favorite patient doing today?" The Doctor Interrupted

"Awww, I'm just your favorite because I've been a coma and haven't been able to complain," Tony said.

"Not true… Ok, kind of true… I'm Dr. Karras.." The doctor began to check Tony's vital signs." We are certainly glad that you have decided to rejoin the land of the conscious. Tomorrow we are going to wheel you down and get a CAT scan of your noggin and some X-rays of your leg. You had a severe concussion so we want to make sure that your eggs remain unscrambled."

"What about the rest of me?" Tony asked worriedly. Ziva stood on the far side of the bed and gently took his hand.

"Well your ribs will still be sore and all the repairs to you GI tract seem to be healing nicely. We were fortunate that you responded so well to the antibiotics that infection didn't overly complicate your recovery. Our main concern is your right leg. I suggest that you thank the Big Guy upstairs; it is a miracle that we were able to save the leg. In most cases, we would have had to amputate but there was enough bone still intact for us to work with. I'm not going to sugar coat it. You are looking at multiple surgeries and months of physical therapy before you will be mobile. We will be scheduling your first surgery after our tests tomorrow. The first thing we need to do is reattach some of your muscles. We will be using cadaver tissue to replace some of your tendons. Once that's healed we will need to do a complete knee reconstruction."

"What are my chances of a full recovery?" Tony was apprehensive.

"That depends on how the surgeries go. Full recovery… maybe forty percent. Most likely you will either have to walk with a cane or have a pronounced limp and whenever the weather changes your leg will hurt like a mother. You will also have problems with metal detectors."

"Great," Tony said dejectedly.

 **A/N):** The two films in question are both awesome. Once you get used to no talking. However, both have music. At least in the Versions I have seen. They are certainly an important part of Cinema History. Chaplin was certainly a genius both in front and behind the camera. Keaton was a master at physical comedy. As you can tell I am a huge fan of both actors/directors. **D.**

 **A/n)":(2)** Still no clue where this is headed. Please forgive any typos or grammar miscues that I may have missed

'


	5. Chapter 5

**A/n):** Sorry for the delay but I just had to marathon "Luke Cage". Please forgive any typos and grammar miscues that I missed. Enjoy **D.**

 **Last Call**

 **Chapter 5**

 **The Next Day**

" _I am not trying to guilt trip you here. I just want you to know that you are in my heart. I love you Z….."_

Ziva listened to the voice mail once again, with Tony down getting tests run she found herself at something of a loss. In the past few weeks, her entire life had narrowed down to being at Tony's bedside or at Gibbs house. She was having some trouble adjusting to such a narrow focus. Back in Israel, she had reconnected with old friends and she had her work. Even so, she had never seriously dated since Tony had returned to D.C, without her. The time they had spent together had been dreamlike. It was not until after he had left that she realized what a huge part Tony played in her life. His departure was like a gaping wound in her heart. She had purposely kept busy in Israel so she did not have to think about HIM.

Tony's message had jolted her out of her comfortable little cocoon. She had considered Him invincible. All the close calls over the years had somehow convinced her that Tony was charmed. He may get hurt but would always bounce back to save the day. She had no such illusions now. His message had been his honest goodbye. Tears welled up in her eyes at the thought of losing Tony and she dashed them away angrily. She berated herself for being so foolish. Tony was still alive and they would get their second chance. She had never admitted it to anyone but she had fallen under Tony's spell during that first undercover mission. She had been sure that they would enter the room to find Tony dead tied to his chair and his assailant in the wind, He was not Mossad he was just an American, but not only was he alive but his attacker was trapped under Tony's chair. He earned her respect and her love. There had been many times where each of them had hurt the other, but their connection endured and grew deeper.

"Well hey stranger," Tim said from the doorway.

Tim had not been able to visit Tony since the early days because the manhunt for Kaplin took priority. Ziva smiled. It was good to see him again.

"Is it over? Has Kaplin been caught?" Ziva asked.

"Not yet," Tim sighed, "We keep tightening the net, though. Where's Tony?"

"He is down getting tests dome. With Tony now awake, they wanted to do a SCAT scan and x-ray his leg."

Tim had to smile. "It's a CAT scan it stands for Computerized Axial Tomography. It's kinda like and X-ray but different," he added lamely.

"They want to make sure that his brain was not damaged by the explosion."

"Well, we already know that his has brain damage… He's Tony' Tim joked trying to lighten the mood.

Ziva smiled sadly. "They are very worried about the leg. They do not expect a full recovery."

"Aww, this is Tony, he eats the odds for breakfast. Never count him out.. or Gibbs for that matter. They are both too stubborn to stay down for long."

"This is not the plague, Tim. They almost had to amputate his leg."

"But they didn't, you'll see, Tony will bounce back from this."

"That is my prayer" Ziva agreed.

They chatted for a while, waiting for Tony to return. Tim made every effort to lighten Ziva's mood, catching Ziva up on some of their stranger and lighter cases. He was sad to see her in such a depressed state. Truthfully Tim was worried as well. He had seen Tony just after he had been rescued and it had not been pretty. In fact, it had been downright gruesome. For the first time since he was a probie, he had gagged and almost thrown up. Their conversation was halted as Tony was wheeled back into the room. He grinned groggily.

"Hey, Tim, what's up?"

"Hey, Tony how ya doing?"

"Can't complain. They gave me some extra pain meds before the X-ray. They took the brace off and unwrapped it to take pictures. Guess I'm not going to be wearing shorts anytime soon."

"I wanted to show you something," Tim pulled out his phone. I just wanted you to know that your fish are safe and sound…."

"Hey Kate, Hey Ziva, you guys doing ok?" Tony shouted.

"Ziva you named a fish Ziva!" Ziva was just a little irritated. "Tony I am not dead, like Kate"

"But I didn't even know if I would see you again." Tony defended his fish. "I got the most beautiful Goldfish I could find. It had little black spots around the eyes that kinda looked like a Ninja's mask."

She couldn't stay irritated." I guess if was the most beautiful Goldfish…"

"It was… promise…"

"Tony," Tim broke in getting to the other reason for his visit." Gibbs said that you heard someone calling for help when you went into the building."

"Yep, some was calling for help." Tony agreed.

"Do you remember if it was male or female?" Tim pressed.

"Nope Probie, can't remember, just heard 'Tony, help me'"

"They called your name?"

"Yep, I thought maybe you or Bishop had caught the guy and needed back up."

Before Tim could ask any more questions, Tony began to shake and spasm, as if having a seizure. Alarms from the monitoring equipment went off and Nurses ran into the room. Tim and Ziva were forced to watch as the nursed struggled to help Tony. When the first Doctor arrived the pair was forced out of the room and down to the waiting area…

 **A/N):** Sorry to end it here but I just couldn't resist. I'll post the next chapter shortly, most likely tomorrow. **D.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N):** Enjoy **D.**

 **Last Call**

 **Chapter 6**

Ziva had not felt so utterly helpless since her capture and subsequent torture at the hands of Saleem Ulman. Standing at the very edge of the waiting area and staring down the hall at Tony's room she felt so helpless, but this time, there would be no Tony to come and rescue her. She was only dimly aware that McGee was on the phone. Her heart was in her throat as she watched Tony's room. Thankfully the alarms had been shut off but there were still frantic voices talking in the room. She could hear the almost arcane language of the staff, shouting out numbers and phrases that even with her mastery of Languages she could not decipher. She felt Tim tentatively touch her arm. Before her career change, she would most likely have lashed out, out of frustration and surprise. Now she quelled the instinctive response and looked forlornly at McGee.

"Come on Ziva, let's sit down."

She grabbed Tim in a hug that surprised and even frightened him a little. "Tim, I cannot bear to lose him." She cried.

"Hey, Tony's gonna to be okay."

"You can only cheat so many times before you must pay the price."

"Ziva," Tim grabbed her shoulders so that he could look into her face, "Tony hasn't bounced a check yet."

"What, McGee?" Ziva was lost.

"Sorry, I just channeled a little Tony. Didn't Tony make you watch Top Gun, a movie about Navy pilots? 'Your ego is writing Checks that your body can't cash', ring any bells?"

"Ah, you are trying to distract me with humor, yes?" Ziva smiled sadly.

She remembered the movie; it had been one of the very first movies that she had watched with Tony. She had pretended to be bored, to irritate him, but in truth, she had found it interesting. "Tony always said that you were Goose to his Maverick."

She was distracted by a group of nurses and doctors who were wheeling Tony out of his room at breakneck speed. The duty nurse spotted Ziva and Tim and walked down to speak to them. She looked grave, which made Ziva prepare for the worst.

"Ziva, Tony has had a seizure. We have gotten him stable and we are sending him back down to get another CAT scan. The Doctor didn't see any damage on the first scan but he is worried about the seizure. What is making matters more grave is that Tony isn't responding to the seizure medication that we administered. As soon as we can determine the cause of the seizure we will bring him back to the room." She sympathicly patted Ziva's arm and left.

Ziva's old investigator's instincts kicked in, "Tim my gut tells me that this is not natural."

"Yeah, Gibbs feels the same way. He is sending MPs to guard Tony's room. Look Ziva I've got to go, Abby and I are going to start combing the debris that's down in Evidence looking for anything out of place. We were just looking for bomb parts but now we are going to be looking at everything. Gibbs is on his way. I'll be back when I can." With that, Tim rushed off.

Ziva tried to ignore her screaming instincts and sit calmly waiting for Tony's return. She immediately starting mentally drawing a list of Tony's enemies and wondered which one would try to kill him by a bomb. Since Tony was an excellent Field Agent he had made many enemies. Her thoughts were broken about ten minutes later when Gibbs walked in.

"No, Gibbs." Ziva pre-empted.

"No?" Gibbs said with a slight smile.

"I have not seen anyone suspicious around Tony's room. I may not be in law enforcement anymore but I still am wary. It is a by-product of growing up in Israel."

"Never doubted that. Any news on Tony?""

"Not since Tim called you. They rushed Tony off for tests but have not come back."

They waited in silence as the minutes became an hour and the hour became two. Both were lost in thoughts for the man the both knew so well. Both were trying to find a reason for the day's events. Ziva became more and more agitated. When she had been with Mossad and then later NCIS she had been so patient. She could wait for hours on a stake out for the suspect to show. After only a few years as a civilian, she had lost that ability.

Gibbs watched as Ziva began to pace. It was good to see her again, just not under these circumstances. Ziva seemed softer than she used to. He realized that she had changed her style of dress. Gone were the utilitarian clothes of an NCIS Agent, now her clothes, while similar to what she used to wear, were more feminine. She had let her hair grow so that it almost reached her mid-back. Gibbs found that he liked the new style. He was about to take pity on her and start a conversation when Tony's doctor showed up.

"Ziva, Gibbs," the doctor greeted, "Tony will be back in his room shortly. He is resting comfortable after his ordeal."

"What happened Doc" Gibbs cut in.

"We are not sure yet. It could be an adverse reaction to the Die we used during the CAT scan, perhaps an allergic reaction to the pain meds… we're just not sure yet. I have ordered a complete lab work up so hopefully, we will know something as soon as the Labs are done."

"Doc, we think that it may have been intentional," Gibbs reported.

"That's ludicrous; no one in this hospital would….."

"I am not suggesting that they did. It is looking like the bomb may have been planted to target Tony specifically. I am going to need copies of all surveillance tapes in the hospital. "

"You have to get a court order and talk to security but they will certainly help you."

"Why should we need a court order?" Ziva asked concerned.

"All those lovely HIPA regulations." The Doctor supplied.

"I will be stationing two MPs outside Tony's door, just in case of another attack."

"That's your purgative, Gibbs, just let security know."

The Doctor quietly discussed Tony's condition. The good news was that there was no brain damage shown on either scan. The leg was a less encouraging story. They would wait a few days to see if the seizures would subside and then they would begin the task of rebuilding Tony's leg. They would not attempt to replace the knee until the bones in his leg had healed, which would probably be about four weeks from now. While the Doctor tried to be upbeat and encouraging he was clearly concerned. The Doctor left soon after he had given them the news, leaving Ziva and Gibbs to wait for Tony's return.

 **A/N):** Fortunately the characters have let me know their motivations so I am not flying blind. I know the ending I just have to get there. As always please forgive and typos and grammar miscues I may have missed. Unfortunately, my brain seems to have an auto-edit function, so it supplies missing words and the like when I proofread so sometimes I miss things until after I have posted the chapter. **D.**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N):** Sorry this would have been up yesterday, but Hurricane Mathew knocked my internet out. Enjoy **D.**

 **Last Call**

 **Chapter 7**

Ziva had done nothing all day but wait and yet she was exhausted. She sat beside Tony's bed and dozed. When they had finally wheeled Tony back to his room, they explained that the anti-seizure medication would probably keep him asleep for several hours. So she continued her vigil by Tony's bedside. Her eye caught a brief movement at the door. She caught sight of one of the MP's shifting his stance. Their presence gave her small comfort. If Tony was indeed being targeted, then the attacker had already struck twice. She sighed and shook her head. Back when she was with Mossad such attacks were expected, a cost of doing your job. At NCIS it seemed that it was either Tony or Gibbs that the crosshairs were trained on. Although she had not touched a firearm in several years, she was now pondering whether she should apply for a carry permit, just to keep Tony safe.

"A nickel for your thoughts." Tony had at last woken up.

"I thought it was a penny?" Ziva frowned, she hated American idioms.

"Inflation." Tony deadpanned.

"I do not think that they are worth that much." Ziva countered.

"They are to me," Tony assured.

"It is nothing. I am just worried about you."

"Since there are now guards on the door I must be in trouble."

"How do you know that you are not a suspect?" Ziva teased.

"No handcuffs." Tony raised both hands. "What's going on Z.?"

"They now believe that you may have been the target of the bomb."

"Oh, it must be Tuesday."

"No Tony it is Sunday. Why would you assume it is Tuesday?"

"Sorry Ziva, it's an inside joke," Tony said lamely.

"I do not understand. What is so special about Tuesday?"

"It just means that I seem to be the target for killers so often that it must be a weekly occurrence."

"How can you make jokes at a time like this? Your life could be in danger!"

"That is just crazy talk, Ziva. Who would plant a bomb just to try to blow me up?"

"Take this seriously, Tony. Someone is trying to kill y….."

Ziva's emotions got the better of her. Since she had walked away from NCIS, she had worked a great deal on trying to open herself up, to tear her emotional walls down. She wanted to be able to be unguarded, so if she finally met that 'special someone' she could, at last, give herself totally to the relationship. It had taken years but she was finally able to allow her feelings to have free reign. The downside to this was when she felt grief and heartache. Her therapist had told her that bottling up her emotions was slowly poisoning her. She needed to release the poison so she could heal.

"Hey…, Hey…., Ziva, it's going to be ok." Tony held her hand in an attempt to comfort her.

"How do you know, Tony? Do you have a copy of the script that I do not know about? Can you see into the future?"

"No Ziva, I don't, but you are here with me and there is nothing that we can't face together."

She felt the sudden and overpowering urge to run. Tony had spoken from his heart and that had frightened her. She had faced down terrorists and defused bombs with steely determination. But Tony's unguarded heart and his love terrified her. After all the pain she had caused him, he still loved her.

"How, Tony how can you still love me?" Zive said through a tear stained, sad, smile"

"Look Z. You're stuck with me. You are my great love and I intend to hold on to you, for as long as I can and as tightly as I can." Tony vowed.

"Tony..." Ziva swallowed hard. Who would have thought that she, not Tony would have trouble saying the word aloud? Her heart had been singing the words for years. "My Beloved…. You cannot know the joy I feel at hearing those words. I never thought that I would get a second chance. I was terrified that I had lost you when you left Israel to rejoin NCIS."

"You know," Tony said with a sly smile, "There is nothing wrong with my lips… Or my tongue.."

"If you think I am going to kiss you when you have not brushed your teeth in a month, you are seriously delusional." Ziva smiled and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"You missed." Tony pouted.

 **A/n):** For those interested in what is happening outside the hospital.

 **Rock Creek Park**

 **The Next Morning**

Gibbs hiked a couple of miles from the parking lot to the crime scene. The autumn air was crisp and cold. The smell of autumn leaves assailed his nose as his boots ground them into powder. He also caught the scent of campfires on the wind. He loved this time of year. The weather was cool during the day, cool enough for a light coat and a ball cap, and the nights were cold enough for a blanket. He always slept better in this type of weather. The smell of the dead body didn't hit his nose until he was just about at the scene. The pungent sickly sweet smell of decomposing flesh assaulted him. He stopped to look around. The Park Police, the Park Rangers, and the local and State PD were in attendance. He wondered how much of a pissing contest he would have to get into before he was allowed to take point on the investigation. He saw Tim and by force of habit scanned for DiNozzo, before he caught sight of Bishop and remembered he was a man down. Gibbs noticed Tim making a beeline straight toward him so he waited.

"Boss, the ID seems to confirm it, it's Oscar Kaplin. The Uni.'s think that this is straight up suicide."

"But you don't." it was a statement.

"Well, Boss, it seems kind of stupid. Kaplin had been successfully eluding us for over a month. The note says that he killed himself out of shame for not taking out more soldiers during the bombing. It just smells hinky to me."

"Perhaps, Agent McGee, it's the dead body you smell." A rather large State Trooper said as he sauntered over. Sticking out a beefy hand toward Gibbs, "Trooper Hawkins," He introduced himself.

"Gibbs. Can you tell me who found the body?"

"A couple of kids, about 19, my guess is they were looking for a very private spot if you take my meaning." The Trooper winkled. "Anyway, the two _Nature Lovers_ stumbled upon Kaplin about 6:30 this morning. Must have been a real buzz kill for the couple. I was first on the scene, about twenty minutes later."

"You mind if we take the lead?" Gibbs asked.

"Knock yourself out. When I saw it was Kaplin, I walked back out the way I came in and cordoned off the area, then I called NCIS. I gave Agent McGee my shoe print to eliminate those from the scene."

"Thanks for the help." Gibbs acknowledged.

"No problem, We caught the bad guy. The least you can do is the paperwork…"

 **A/n):** Thanks to all who are reading, reviewing, and adding this to your Favorite and follow lists.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N):** Well I guess this is a "Two For" When I posted my last chapter I just kept going. Go Figure? Enjoy **D.**

 **Last Call**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Later That Day**

Tony felt much better. He had been sitting up in bed all day, talking with Ziva, trying to catch up on the past few years. He still had to shake his head, a Librarian. Ziva had sat upon his bed and given him a shave. That had been rather nice and just a wee bit sexy. At first, he put up a little bit of a fuss, he could shave himself. Ziva had pointed out that there were no mirrors that he could use while in bed. So he let it drop. Truthfully he had wanted her close and having her shave him was just the ticket. They had fallen back into old habits. So he mentioned that her black lacy bra was kind of hot, she had calmly pointed out that she had once killed a man with a razor.

They both had instinctively shied away from intimate topics, feeling it best to take those in small doses. She had called him her Beloved. Tony knew what a big deal that had been for her. Sure she had probably used those words before. She may have even meant them, but this time was different. This time, she had said them to him.

He had let Ziva go a little after mid-day. She was so tired from the previous night's ordeal that she was practically falling out of her chair with fatigue. She had protested but the Nurse came in and announced that it would time for his sponge bath shortly. That had convinced her to go get some much-needed rest.

He had a bit of a problem when the most stunningly beautiful nurse had come in to bathe him. At first, the thought that Tim or Abby might have hired a stripper to dress up as a nurse occurred to him, His luck never was this good. He discarded that idea because both of then knew and loved Ziva. Then he thought that maybe his Baltimore PD buddies were having a laugh. The nurse was quick and efficient. She also called him Mr. DiNozzo, which took some of the fun of it away. When she moved toward his crotch, Tony grabbed the sponge and did that area himself, while her back was turned. She thought he was being ridiculous and told him that she had already bathed him there before. He had just stated that he had been unconscious then. She had blushed prettily and giggled.

Tim had thoughtfully brought his toiletries from his go-bag from the trunk of his car to the hospital room, so he was wearing his own aftershave. He had taken great care to brush his teeth so that Ziva wouldn't have that excuse anymore. He had bribed an orderly to go to the Hospital gift shop and pick up a couple of things. So by evening time he felt tired but also he felt almost human. He had even gotten up the strength to hunt down the TV remote and had scanned the fare offered by the hospital's cable package. He had settled on "Arsenic and Old Lace" one of his favorites.

"Of course you would be watching a movie" Ziva said from the doorway. She felt much better after a shower and a nap.

She could see that Tony was feeling better as well. He was still sitting up and had even turned the TV on. Tony's TV watching was the perfect Barometer on his mood. If he was feeling good he would have an action flick or a comedy on. If he was feeling pensive he would turn to a heavy drama. If he were in a romantic mood he would watch a Rom-Com. He watched other Chic Flicks if he was hoping to get lucky and when he needed to wash away the memory of a gruesome case it was a Horror movie. So she was encouraged to see a comedy on the screen.

"This is a classic Ziva, Cary Grant, and Peter Lorre. Cary plays a Theater Critic and writer. He has come home to find that his loveable aunts are killing off lonely old men. His brother comes back into town having traveled all over the world killing people."

"Who is the man that is running up the stairs yelling 'charge'?"

"That's his Uncle Teddy. He thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt charging up San Juan Hill."

They watched in appreciative silence until the movie ended. Ziva was a little unsure of the movie. Tony described it as a black comedy. Ziva was tempted to tease him saying that there had not been any African Americans in the movie, but restrained herself, besides he would just launch into what a black comedy was and since she already knew she decided to take a pass. She noticed a beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting on the bedside table.

"What beautiful flowers Tony, who sent them?"

"Read the card"

She pulled the card and recognized Tony's handwriting immediately. _'To My Ninja from Your Beloved, My Love Always.'_ She felt a warm glow spread out from her heart. She leaned over and gave Tony a very impassioned kiss.

"Hey, Hey, Hey, none of that here," Interrupted the Nurse, "We run a respectable Naval Hospital here."

"Well if you won't ask then I won't tell." Tony quipped.

"You're behind the times Mr. DiNozzo, it's don't ask, just don't ask." The nurse rejoined.

"Why are you in here, ruining my first small spot of happiness in over a month?"

"Checking to make sure that you had a good reason for the elevated heart rate I saw on the monitor at the station."

"Well, now you know," Tony said.

"Take it easy on him honey," The nurse said looking at Ziva, "the parts are still there but we're not sure that they still work correctly." The nurse gave Ziva a knowing smile.

"Hey my parts work just fine, thank you very much," Tony called after her.

Ziva reluctantly moved back to her chair. "Perhaps the Nurse is right. Perhaps we should not push…. _Things_ …. Too quickly."

"Story of my life…." Tony muttered but didn't press the issue.

Ziva sat silently composing herself as Tony began to flip channels until he latched onto "Groundhog Day. "Hey Z. come here," He patted the left side of the bed, "Watch with me."

He seemed so earnest that she could say no. She watched the movie laying beside him. It was so very comfortable lying next to him. She had seen the movie before but it was just as good on the rewatch. While she had been trying to cope with her life without Tony, she had gotten so desperate that she watched every movie they had ever watched together. She felt closer to him then. Before Tony, watching a movie once was enough, sometimes more than enough. Tony had opened her eyes to nuances that she had not seen before. Knowing the history of the movie and the times in which it was made, gave context that had escaped her before. Tony didn't just memorize movie quotes he loves movie history. Where Civil War History buffs quoted troop strengths and movements, Tony knew Directors and Actor. Tony had once said that 'Context was everything', an amazingly wise quote coming from Tony. That quote was true about Movies, Life, and even crime scenes. If you knew the context then things became much clearer.

When the movie was over Ziva didn't move. At first, Tony thought that she had fallen asleep, then he felt her snuggle a little closer.

"I could get used to this." She whispered

"Awww, Damnit, you found me out. I'm trying to make myself indispensable to you. Caught again!" Tony joked.

"Tony, will you answer a question for me, if it is not too personal?"

"We were partners for years, we have no secrets."

"Why are you so in love with movies? When did it start?"

He was silent a long time. "You know my mother died when I was young." He finally said.

"I had gathered as much, but you don't talk about her."

"Oh Ziva, you should have seen me then, I was absolutely adorkable. We were a really close family even Senior was around a lot of the time. Mom died of breast cancer when I was about eleven. Well, before she passed, one day when she was feeling particularly strong she took me to an old art house theater in the city. It was a Bogart film festival. We watched "Key Largo", "The Caine Mutiny" and "Casablanca". I slept through most of 'Casablanca", but I think I have watched it about fifty times since. I remember that Mom cried at the end when Rick sent Ilsa away. I was a little scared because I had never seen Mom cry before. But everything was okay because we got ice cream afterward. Mom went into the hospital the next day and didn't come out again. She died three weeks later. It was summer so I didn't have school to go to. I just cut on the TV when I got up and fell asleep in front of it every night until school started. Dad waited a considerate time afterward and they started the Floozy Patrol. I retreated into movies and Dad, well he just retreated. It took me a long time to forgive him but we have made our peace." Tony wiped at the tears that were standing in his eyes.

"It must have been very traumatic for you"

"It was. Years later I started to remember things about her. Whenever I came home from school she would be watching and old movie, never a soap opera, always a movie. I think that's why I love movies so much, they make me feel close to her…" Tony couldn't talk anymore it was still too painful.

Ziva decided that they needed to change the subject. "I understand you were bathed by a very hot and sexy nurse."

"What! No, no you must be mistaken; I don't remember any of that." Tony stuttered

"If she washed your privates, you know I will have to kill her," Ziva said in the most menacing voice she could muster.

"I…. She…. IT didn't…."

Ziva laughed. She had heard a very cute nurse describe Tony's discomfort during the sponge bath and how he demanded that she turn around while he washed himself.

"Ziva, don't do that, my heart can't take that. Come on, give a guy a break."

"It serves you right, all those times you would talk about your conquests while we were on stakeout…"

 **A/n):** Wow that turned out more angsty than I thought it would. I hope you all enjoyed it. Let me know. **D.**

 **A/N (2):** I think that this might be the first chapter that something really happened to Tony


End file.
